G70LEbyAdoom
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So, considering the N branding is being geared as the performance version of their vehicles, the same way the V/ V-Blackwing is to Cadillac's lineup, it only makes sense to compare them to what is realistically their top performance vehicle. So without further Ado, this is a review of the Elantra N, from a stinger owners perspective.
Purchasing Process
This bit is gonna be short, as its pretty much the same as buying any new car, except for one factor. The wait. We went to the dealer in July of 2022 to put a down payment on the car so that it could be ordered. The expected wait time was about 3 months based off of the average time from other buyers online, but it ended up taking just under 7 months to get it delivered. Thankfully, the Sales Manager we worked with at our local dealer is awesome and I have no shame in saying that he is by far the best salesman I have ever worked with. He did absolutely everything I asked of him and went above and beyond in making the experience worth the wait.
First Impressions/Exterior
My first impressions of seeing our car in person - The car is stunning. The Styling of the car is not for everyone, however if you like sharp angles and aggressive looking vehicles, this car checks all the boxes. We ended up getting the car in what Hyundai calls their "Performance Blue", Which is just really the textbook definition of Baby blue. Performance blue is the N car's Signature color, meaning you can only get it on the N cars (Veloster N, Elantra N, and Kona N) and it is quite a good looking color in person. I honestly really like it, but the car is for my girlfriend and she fell in love with it when we saw it going down the highway one day. She knew she had to have it.
Interior
The Interior of the Elantra N Is 100% the nicest interior in the segment (Track/Performance oriented that are budget friendly)
Between the material choice of Suede and Leather that is strategically placed, to look and feel really, really good, the whole car feels like I should be paying 45K+ for it, instead of the 35.5K msrp. Pictures can be found online if you want them. The bucket seats are comfortable, but pretty obviously not made for larger people in mind. My Girlfriend fits in them wonderfully, and I fit in them snug, but if anyone larger (wider) than us tried to sit in them, I imagine they would be very uncomfortable. The Elantra N's seats are also Manually adjusted in the USA, Unlike the Kona N's Powered seats. Now, I understand that the EN is more track focused than the Kona N is, so I totally understand why they are manual. The Infotainment system is very responsive, widescreen, and is super sharp. The car has so many different menu's and options to change almost everything about the car. It very clearly is designed to be played with, and to be driver oriented, as the main infotainment screen is slightly angled towards the driver. The whole interior feels very solid as well, and everything feels like it was reinforced a bit more than on the 2022 EN we originally test drove. My FAVRIOTE part of the whole car though, is the small little red button on the steering wheel labeled "NGS" Which stands for N Grin Shift. The simple explanation of what it does, is a more power button. It tells the car to make 10-15 extra horsepower for 20 seconds. is that enough to make or break a race? no. However it does satisfy everyone's inner child in having the equivalent of a Turbo boost button from the factory. It just puts a smile on your face when you hit it. (it also makes the dash do a fun animation, so its a nice bonus)
Unfortunately, the negatives start here. The speaker system on the car is just... sub par. Now, for the price range, its really not bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired. It is a bose system, and anyone who knows a thing about audio knows the saying "No highs and no lows, it must be bose" and the saying is very true here. However, my by far, the largest issue I have with the EN, is that their are no options here. EVERY OTHER MARKET gets options for the car. for example, other markets get a red paint color similar to the High-Chroma Red on my stinger. Every other market also gets a heated steering wheel, where as the USA market does not. Same thing with power, less racecar oriented bucket seats that are similar to the ones that come standard in the Kona N. Power folding mirrors are also standard in other markets, where they don't even exist as an option for the USA. Also, None of the N cars have an option for a Heads up Display, Which would be a very useful option, especially on a track. Some of these should be made available as an option, but it would just make more logical sense if they included others, like the heated steering wheel, considering its in every other market. Also, Blank buttons. the car has more blank buttons than it should. They may even be filled in other markets by some of the features I talked about above.
Handling
I can sum this up pretty easily. The EN drives like a front wheel drive go-kart with a comfortable ride. I have driven Multiple Ferrari's, a Lamborghini, an Audi R8, Most of the Audi S Cars, Multiple different Years of BMW M3's, M5's, The M2, 240i, 340i, and about a dozen other BMW models I cant remember the name of (Old friend's family got a new one every year), a 2019 Civic Type R, 50+ classic cars, such as a 1969 Chevelle SS, and my Personal 1987 Monte Carlo SS Areo-coupe, and more. I've lost count over how many different cars I've driven. The Elantra N's steering response puts them all to shame. Now, I haven't tracked the EN yet, (car has under 50 miles on it currently) However on the street, It just. Its perfect. Its extremely sharp, the slightest movement of the steering wheel effects how the car turns. It is so ridiculously responsive. Now, many of the cars I listed above can come close, some really, really close, however the EN just, feels better. I am extremely excited to take this car to autocross/track day events this year, and I know my girlfriend is as well. I cannot stress enough how much higher this car punches so far above its weight class. The Suspension is surprisingly comfortable too for a track oriented car. Not as much as our stingers are, but it will serve really well at being a daily for my girlfriend.
Speed
So, unfortunately I cannot make a real assessment on this yet, as the car is still in the break in period, and we plan to go the full 600 miles without purposefully breaking the 4K mark, however I will say that the car feels very torquey for being a turbo 4 cylinder. Throttle response is very good and the car gets up and goes almost instantly, you really don't have to climb too high into the RPM range to get to highway speeds. The 2022 we originally test drove was surprisingly quick, we mashed the pedal and it really went from here to there to gone. Now, its not really designed for straight line speed, so with a 0 to 60 time rated for 5.1-5.2 seconds, its obviously slower than our cars, but its top notch for the price and the class its in. After we get through the break in period, I may comment more about how handles acceleration and higher speeds, but until then, you would have to read more about it from what others have posted across the internet.
Compared to the stinger
The Stinger is the better daily driver. No questions asked. Its more comfortable, larger, the GT2 I have has more practical features even though is 5 years old, has a larger gas tank (which is really ironic considering the stinger has a small tank to begin with, The stingers 16 vs the EN's 12 gallon tank) its more powerful, quieter in stock form. However, that's not what the EN is all about. If you where to put the stinger in the same group that the EN is in and tried to compete, the EN wins in all category's. It handles better. it 100% would be faster around every track that's not a drag strip, Its louder, it has completely customizable pops and burbles from the factory if that's your thing. it weighs 600lbs less than the lightest stinger, 800lbs less than my GT2 specifically. Its better on gas, and honestly, not including the sound system, the interior of the EN is nicer than the 18-21 stingers. I know the 22-23 stingers have the upgraded screens and some have the option of the same kind of suede that the EN uses, which is why I cant really make a call on those. However, I do know from pictures, that if I had to choose between a 23 Stinger with the Suede Interior and a 23 Elantra N, just based off interior alone, I would choose the 23 Stinger. However, the 20K MSRP difference could be a big pill to swallow for some. I love my stinger, and I would not trade it for the EN. When I bought my stinger 2 years ago, I paid the same 35K we just paid for the EN. if I had to choose between the two now, its a really tough choice. It may even just come down to the drivetrain difference, of AWD/RWD on the stinger vs the FWD of the EN. I would probably still choose the stinger though, if only because I fit in the seats better.
TLDR:
The Elantra N is a fantastic car and honestly, Hyundai should be charging 3-5k more then they are for the car. It Handles amazing while being comfortable and decently well equipped. its quick, among the fastest in its segment from the factory, while retaining the ability to still be a great daily driver. 9/10, would purchase the car again. Also, just about every review and test from a "Professional" review company/site/ect feels the same way I do.
Purchasing Process
This bit is gonna be short, as its pretty much the same as buying any new car, except for one factor. The wait. We went to the dealer in July of 2022 to put a down payment on the car so that it could be ordered. The expected wait time was about 3 months based off of the average time from other buyers online, but it ended up taking just under 7 months to get it delivered. Thankfully, the Sales Manager we worked with at our local dealer is awesome and I have no shame in saying that he is by far the best salesman I have ever worked with. He did absolutely everything I asked of him and went above and beyond in making the experience worth the wait.
First Impressions/Exterior
My first impressions of seeing our car in person - The car is stunning. The Styling of the car is not for everyone, however if you like sharp angles and aggressive looking vehicles, this car checks all the boxes. We ended up getting the car in what Hyundai calls their "Performance Blue", Which is just really the textbook definition of Baby blue. Performance blue is the N car's Signature color, meaning you can only get it on the N cars (Veloster N, Elantra N, and Kona N) and it is quite a good looking color in person. I honestly really like it, but the car is for my girlfriend and she fell in love with it when we saw it going down the highway one day. She knew she had to have it.
Interior
The Interior of the Elantra N Is 100% the nicest interior in the segment (Track/Performance oriented that are budget friendly)
Between the material choice of Suede and Leather that is strategically placed, to look and feel really, really good, the whole car feels like I should be paying 45K+ for it, instead of the 35.5K msrp. Pictures can be found online if you want them. The bucket seats are comfortable, but pretty obviously not made for larger people in mind. My Girlfriend fits in them wonderfully, and I fit in them snug, but if anyone larger (wider) than us tried to sit in them, I imagine they would be very uncomfortable. The Elantra N's seats are also Manually adjusted in the USA, Unlike the Kona N's Powered seats. Now, I understand that the EN is more track focused than the Kona N is, so I totally understand why they are manual. The Infotainment system is very responsive, widescreen, and is super sharp. The car has so many different menu's and options to change almost everything about the car. It very clearly is designed to be played with, and to be driver oriented, as the main infotainment screen is slightly angled towards the driver. The whole interior feels very solid as well, and everything feels like it was reinforced a bit more than on the 2022 EN we originally test drove. My FAVRIOTE part of the whole car though, is the small little red button on the steering wheel labeled "NGS" Which stands for N Grin Shift. The simple explanation of what it does, is a more power button. It tells the car to make 10-15 extra horsepower for 20 seconds. is that enough to make or break a race? no. However it does satisfy everyone's inner child in having the equivalent of a Turbo boost button from the factory. It just puts a smile on your face when you hit it. (it also makes the dash do a fun animation, so its a nice bonus)
Unfortunately, the negatives start here. The speaker system on the car is just... sub par. Now, for the price range, its really not bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired. It is a bose system, and anyone who knows a thing about audio knows the saying "No highs and no lows, it must be bose" and the saying is very true here. However, my by far, the largest issue I have with the EN, is that their are no options here. EVERY OTHER MARKET gets options for the car. for example, other markets get a red paint color similar to the High-Chroma Red on my stinger. Every other market also gets a heated steering wheel, where as the USA market does not. Same thing with power, less racecar oriented bucket seats that are similar to the ones that come standard in the Kona N. Power folding mirrors are also standard in other markets, where they don't even exist as an option for the USA. Also, None of the N cars have an option for a Heads up Display, Which would be a very useful option, especially on a track. Some of these should be made available as an option, but it would just make more logical sense if they included others, like the heated steering wheel, considering its in every other market. Also, Blank buttons. the car has more blank buttons than it should. They may even be filled in other markets by some of the features I talked about above.
Handling
I can sum this up pretty easily. The EN drives like a front wheel drive go-kart with a comfortable ride. I have driven Multiple Ferrari's, a Lamborghini, an Audi R8, Most of the Audi S Cars, Multiple different Years of BMW M3's, M5's, The M2, 240i, 340i, and about a dozen other BMW models I cant remember the name of (Old friend's family got a new one every year), a 2019 Civic Type R, 50+ classic cars, such as a 1969 Chevelle SS, and my Personal 1987 Monte Carlo SS Areo-coupe, and more. I've lost count over how many different cars I've driven. The Elantra N's steering response puts them all to shame. Now, I haven't tracked the EN yet, (car has under 50 miles on it currently) However on the street, It just. Its perfect. Its extremely sharp, the slightest movement of the steering wheel effects how the car turns. It is so ridiculously responsive. Now, many of the cars I listed above can come close, some really, really close, however the EN just, feels better. I am extremely excited to take this car to autocross/track day events this year, and I know my girlfriend is as well. I cannot stress enough how much higher this car punches so far above its weight class. The Suspension is surprisingly comfortable too for a track oriented car. Not as much as our stingers are, but it will serve really well at being a daily for my girlfriend.
Speed
So, unfortunately I cannot make a real assessment on this yet, as the car is still in the break in period, and we plan to go the full 600 miles without purposefully breaking the 4K mark, however I will say that the car feels very torquey for being a turbo 4 cylinder. Throttle response is very good and the car gets up and goes almost instantly, you really don't have to climb too high into the RPM range to get to highway speeds. The 2022 we originally test drove was surprisingly quick, we mashed the pedal and it really went from here to there to gone. Now, its not really designed for straight line speed, so with a 0 to 60 time rated for 5.1-5.2 seconds, its obviously slower than our cars, but its top notch for the price and the class its in. After we get through the break in period, I may comment more about how handles acceleration and higher speeds, but until then, you would have to read more about it from what others have posted across the internet.
Compared to the stinger
The Stinger is the better daily driver. No questions asked. Its more comfortable, larger, the GT2 I have has more practical features even though is 5 years old, has a larger gas tank (which is really ironic considering the stinger has a small tank to begin with, The stingers 16 vs the EN's 12 gallon tank) its more powerful, quieter in stock form. However, that's not what the EN is all about. If you where to put the stinger in the same group that the EN is in and tried to compete, the EN wins in all category's. It handles better. it 100% would be faster around every track that's not a drag strip, Its louder, it has completely customizable pops and burbles from the factory if that's your thing. it weighs 600lbs less than the lightest stinger, 800lbs less than my GT2 specifically. Its better on gas, and honestly, not including the sound system, the interior of the EN is nicer than the 18-21 stingers. I know the 22-23 stingers have the upgraded screens and some have the option of the same kind of suede that the EN uses, which is why I cant really make a call on those. However, I do know from pictures, that if I had to choose between a 23 Stinger with the Suede Interior and a 23 Elantra N, just based off interior alone, I would choose the 23 Stinger. However, the 20K MSRP difference could be a big pill to swallow for some. I love my stinger, and I would not trade it for the EN. When I bought my stinger 2 years ago, I paid the same 35K we just paid for the EN. if I had to choose between the two now, its a really tough choice. It may even just come down to the drivetrain difference, of AWD/RWD on the stinger vs the FWD of the EN. I would probably still choose the stinger though, if only because I fit in the seats better.
TLDR:
The Elantra N is a fantastic car and honestly, Hyundai should be charging 3-5k more then they are for the car. It Handles amazing while being comfortable and decently well equipped. its quick, among the fastest in its segment from the factory, while retaining the ability to still be a great daily driver. 9/10, would purchase the car again. Also, just about every review and test from a "Professional" review company/site/ect feels the same way I do.
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